Curing Kids Cancer Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The Organization was formed in 2005 and is dedicated to changing the world of childhood cancer by bringing awareness to childhood cancer and by funding the development of treatments, primarily in the United States, that are more effective and less toxic than traditional childhood cancer therapies. The Organization envisions a world where children do not die of cancer and do not suffer from dangerous side effects of their treatments. The Organization's funding is primarily through direct donor contributions and fundraising events.
- Income
- $2.8 million
- Spending
- $2.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- 2.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 10
- Volunteers
- 100
- Highest pay
- $126,082, president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 10% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 17 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $2.5 million spent. The Organization was founded by Grainne and Clay Owen after they lost one of their twins to Leukemia when he was nine years old. Since the Organization was founded in 2005, the Charity has raised over $31 million. Last year alone, the Organization was able to fund 16 different projects in the US and Canada totaling $1.8 million. The Organization is different from other charities because the focus is purely on funding unique cutting-edge projects, which have led to life saving treatments. Their funding is strategically planned to cover certain areas of rapid developing research, which enables them to help the doctors to provide more effective treatments more rapidly. Making effective, less toxic treatments available when needed are crucial factors when treating children cancer. The Organization has been given the opportunity to fund the work of Dr. Stephan Grupp on Car T-Cell Therapy. It is considered that this treatment could be the basis for the future of all cancer treatment. The doctors take the child's own T-Cells (which fight normal infections like colds, etc.) and genetically re-engineer them so that they recognize the proteins that are only on the outside of Leukemia cells but not on normal cells. They put the re-engineered T-Cells back into the child so that the child's own immune system then fights their cancer without needing chemotherapy or radiation. It has had an unheard of 94% response rate in the children treated so far, most of whom are on hospice care when they receive the treatment. This treatment only costs about $25,000 per child to re-engineer the children's cells. Curing Kids Cancer has been able to see how the money they raise can actually save children's lives.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since November 2005.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.